House recognised as cultural legacy
CYRILDENE - Former home of Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, better known as L. Ron Hubbard, is the first 1950’s house in Johannesburg to be declared and recognised as a Cultural Legacy.
On 27 September, the chairperson of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation Flo Bird, and the director of the L. Ron Hubbard House Puneet Dhamija, officially unveiled the plaque.
The unveiling took place at 40 Hannaben Street in Cyrildene. The occasion was attended by 40 special guests including members of the Johannesburg Foundation, and neighbours and friends of L. Ron Hubbard.
“I hope everyone who has come to this house has reacted with a wow. It is simply stunning and now stands tall in a new age of architecture,” said Flo Bird during her speech.
The house was faithfully restored to the time when Hubbard lived in Johannesburg from 1960 to 1961 and has now been turned into a museum that presents the works and the life of the American author and the founder of the Church of Scientology.
His study room displays a Constitution, Bill of Rights and Penal Code on the principle of “One Man One Vote” that was presented to the government of the day.
Other than the social issues that L. Ron Hubbard attended while in South Africa, he gave many public lectures on the subject of his philosophy and expanded Scientology.
For a virtual tour of this latest recognised heritage site in Johannesburg, go to www.lronhubbard.org/heritages-sites/joburg.html
